Norman Thompson lecturer at Northern Caribbean University (NCU), was recently honoured with The Gleaner's Silver Pen award, given for the best letter published by the paper in July.

His Letter to the Editor, tagged 'Jamaica en route to becoming Caribbean Zimbabwe', was published on July 15.

Like several persons, the lecturer, who serves in the department of English and Modern Languages, is passionate about improving the education system in Jamaica.

Lack of education

In the letter, he emphasised that there was a link between education and crime, saying that educated people are easier to govern. He stated that most Jamaicans believe that the number one problem is crime when it really is the lack of education.

Yesterday, Thompson maintained his stance that education should be improved before crime can be decreased.

"It's a good start by the minister of education, Andrew Holness, to have students move on to a higher level without being literate," he said.

He argued, however, that education is broader than what is learned in the classroom.

"Education has to do with socialisation and a lot depends on the home, which should be a supporter of the school," he said.

He added that there has been a breakdown in the family's involvement in the Church.

"In former days, it was home, Church and school, and all three institutions taught the same values."

He used the opportunity to reiterate that the home is the key to the upbringing of children.

"If only we could reconstruct our homes where parents see that the homework is done and they co-operate with the teachers so that they could work together for literacy."

Thompson was born in Spanish Town, St Catherine, but later took up resident in Manchester with his wife. He has served at NCU since 1996.

He said this was the third letter that he has written to The Gleaner to express his views about issues that grab his attention.